Flatiron



" Sept. 17, 1929. GRAETZER 1,728,269

FLATIRON Filed May 19, 1925 Patented Sept. 17, 1929 UNETED STATES FA'IENT "OFFICE FLA'I'IRON Application filed May 19, 1925, Serial No. 31,431, and. in Switzerland December 1, 1924.

My invention relates to fiatirons and more especially to irons heated by electricity or gas. It is an object of my invention to provide means whereby the heated bottom of the iron is lifted tree of the material operated upon whenever the grip or handle fixed to the iron is released, thereby preventing the material such as linen from being damaged.

In contradistinction tofiatirons as hitherto devised, in which the iron was lifted free of the material by means of springs in a horizontal position, I cause the iron to be tilted about a bottom edge and preferably one of the narrow edges of the iron.

The fiatiron according to the present invention has a counter weight attached to one of its ends, this counter weight being so arranged and shaped that on the grip or handle being released, the iron will be lifted free of the table or the material operated upon by the counter weight, the flatiron assuming an oblique position and resting on a bottom portion of the counter weigl'it, which preferably consists of a material of low heat conductivity and in the case of electric irons, is a non-conductor of electricity.

Obviously the same arrangement can be provided in the case of gas-heated irons.

In the drawings afi'ixed to this specification and forming part thereof an electric iron embodying my invention is illustrated diagrammatically by way of example. In the drawings Fig. 1 shows the iron in operative position,

while Fig. 2 is an illustration of the iron in lifted or inoperative position.

Referring to the drawings, a is a table or 1&0 other support for the material to be ironed and b is a fiatiron.

I wish it to be understood that the form of the iron here shown does not form art at the invention and may be varied. Wit iout departing from the spirit of the invention.

6 is the grip or handle, 0 is the counter weight which has the form of an oblong piece extending substantially in vertical direction and fixed to one of the ends of the iron, the bottom surface of the counter weight being rounded off as shown. h is the false bottom of the iron and (Z is a plate of a heat insulating material and f is the plug for the current supply.

The plate (25 serves for protecting the counter weight against the action of the heat. The center of gravity of the iron is located in rear of the rearmost edge of the plate 72, of the iron so that on the grip e being released the counter weight 0 will cause the iron to assume the angular position shown in Fig. 2, where the bottom is moved out of contactwith the material to be operated upon, thereby preventing damage to this material by super heating.

At the same time the false bottom is we posed to the cooling action of the air so that no burning can occur even though the oporator should forget cutting off the electric current or heating gas as the case may be.

I am aware that it has already been proposed to arrange on the iron a weight for adjustment by hand, so that by displacing the weight relatively to the iron, the bottom of the latter is lifted tree of the table. However, as the shifting of the Weight is troublesome, the operator will frequently forget shifting the weight. In the iron with the arrangement of a fixed counter weight according to the present invention this danger is eliminated.

I wish it to be understood that I do not desire to be limited to the exact details of construction shown and described for obvious modifications will occur to a person as skilled in the art.

I claim 1. A flat iron comprising a metal body, a handle, and a counterweight extension connected, ta the rear end of the and ham ing a lower upwardly curved surface forming substantially a continuation of the lower face of the body the center of gravity of the article being rearward of the rear edge of the bottom of the iron whereby the extension will rock the body into an inclined position resting on said extension when the handle is freed of pressure.

2. A flat iron comprising a, metal body, a 10 handle,,end a counterweight extension connected to the body and projecting upward therefrom, the center of gravity of the device being rearward of the rear edge of the bottom of the iron, whereby it will rock the body into an inclined position when the hendle is freed of pressure.

In testimony whereof I affix my si nature.

OTTO GRAETZEB. 

